British doctors to prescribe mood-boosting books to patients

British general practitioners will soon be able to write prescriptions for self-help books and feel-good novels to patients struggling with depression or anxiety.

Charitable organization The Reading Agency has helped create the program, expected to launch in May in partnership with the Society of Chief Librarians, reports WebMD.

Patients can access 30 pre-endorsed books on cognitive behavioral therapy, in addition to checking out "mood-boosting" novels and poetry.

A similar program is already in place in Wales by Cardiff-based clinical psychologist Neil Frude, and several local initiatives have been set up in England, according to WebMD.

New research has also found that a group of patients suffering from depression who received treatment in association with guided self-help books saw better results than those who received traditional therapy. That study was published last month in the open access journal PlosOne.

If you're looking for a mood-boosting book, The Reading Agency offers a list on its website, including their latest update, mood-boosting books as selected by older people in reading groups. Here are a few recommended titles: "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, "Bird Cloud: A Memoir of Place" by Annie Proulx, "The Builders" by Maeve Binchy, "Reading in Bed" by Sue Gee, "Selected Stories" by Anton Chekhov, and "The Snow Goose and The Small Miracle" by Paul Gallico.